As Asia's senior population increases, the demand for wigs is growing. Cashing in on this, major Japanese wig maker Aderans will build new factories in the Philippines and laos.
Aderans will invest 150 million yen in the new factories and hire 2,000 workers, according to the Nikkei Shimbun.
Aderans' production is mainly focused on customized wigs. About 4,500 wigs are produced monthly and by boosting its manufacturing presence in Southeast Asia, Aderans is aiming to increase its production capacity, targeting 6,000 wigs per month, the Nikkei reported.
The process of making a wig requires meticulous attention to detail and it is by done manually. According to Aderans, the company chose Laos because labor costs are low and because many Laotians have manual dexterity due to the country's hand-weaving culture.
According to a private research company, sales of women's wigs are outpacing men's wigs. As of February 2013, 70％ of Aderans' sales were wigs for women.
© Japan Today
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CanuckNikkei
I 'll probably need one. The women in my family go bald 0_O.
Himajin
Nikkei, have they had HRT in their 50s? Hair loss can be genetic but it can also be from menopause.
Aderans is very expensive! MIL had one made by them. They come around the countryside and sell the wigs to the elderly, but then there is a monthly schedule of appointments in Kobe, an hour away, for washing it, adjusting it and things like that. I told them at one point, after taking MIL to these appointments because she felt she had to go, because of all the reminder phone calls (taking half a day from work each time) that it was irresponsible of them to go 1-2 hours from Kobe, sell dozens of wigs, drop them off to the customers and then demand that women in their 70s and 80s somehow make it to Kobe. I told them that if they're that keen to have them come, they should schedule transportation.
A wig to cover the thin area on the top of her head was 300,000 yen.